1. Field
The present invention relates generally to liquid consumption tracking and, more specifically, to automatically tracking consumption of liquids in hand-held containers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some containers include electronics to automatically track consumption of liquids stored within the containers. For example, some gas tanks include electronic sensors that monitor the amount of gasoline in the gas tank, tracking both the addition of liquid to the tank, and consumption of liquid from the tank. Similar sensors are often used in industrial applications, for example, tracking use of chemicals in industrial processes. In some cases, such sensors have been used to track liquid consumption from portable hand-held containers of liquids, like water bottles.
Existing techniques for tracking liquid consumption from hand-held containers are deficient in a number of respects. Some techniques draw excessive battery power, making the sensors inconvenient for users who would prefer to charge the sensors less often. Further, some techniques require the sensor be used with a specific container, preventing users from using the same sensor on multiple containers of varying shapes and inconveniencing users. Finally, some sensors are relatively inaccurate.